Florida Statute 406.13
“Examiner’s report; maintenance of records”
What it means
Florida Statute 406.13 describes what the district medical examiner or an associate does after a death is reported under § 406.12. The examiner examines or otherwise takes charge of the dead body and notifies the appropriate law enforcement agency under § 406.145.
When the cause of death has been established within reasonable medical certainty, the examiner reports or makes available to the state attorney, in writing, the determination as to the cause of death. The district medical examiner must maintain duplicate copies of records and the detailed findings of autopsy and laboratory investigations. Evidence or specimens that come into the examiner's possession in connection with an investigation or autopsy may be retained by the examiner or delivered to one of the law enforcement officers assigned to the investigation.
- On notification under § 406.12, the examiner or an associate must examine or otherwise take charge of the dead body (§ 406.13).
- The appropriate law enforcement agency must be notified under § 406.145 (§ 406.13).
- Once the cause of death is established within reasonable medical certainty, the written determination goes to, or is made available to, the state attorney (§ 406.13).
- Duplicate copies of records and the detailed findings of autopsy and laboratory investigations must be maintained by the district medical examiner (§ 406.13).
- Evidence or specimens may be retained by the examiner or delivered to a law enforcement officer assigned to the investigation (§ 406.13).
Text of the statute (2026)
Upon receipt of such notification pursuant to s. 406.12, the district medical examiner or her or his associate shall examine or otherwise take charge of the dead body and shall notify the appropriate law enforcement agency pursuant to s. 406.145. When the cause of death has been established within reasonable medical certainty by the district medical examiner or her or his associate, she or he shall so report or make available to the state attorney, in writing, her or his determination as to the cause of said death. Duplicate copies of records and the detailed findings of autopsy and laboratory investigations shall be maintained by the district medical examiner. Any evidence or specimen coming into the possession of said medical examiner in connection with any investigation or autopsy may be retained by the medical examiner or be delivered to one of the law enforcement officers assigned to the investigation of the death.
Excerpts are the subsections the summary relies on. Read the full official text of § 406.13.
History. ss. 7, 8, ch. 70-232; s. 26, ch. 73-334; s. 1, ch. 86-234; s. 30, ch. 97-103.
How it applies
The section fixes who receives the cause-of-death determination (the state attorney, in writing) and who keeps the detailed autopsy and laboratory records (the district medical examiner, in duplicate). It does not address access by families or other requesters.
Access to autopsy photographs and recordings, and to two kinds of autopsy report, is governed separately by § 406.135.
Related sections
Questions people ask
Sources
- Fla. Stat. § 406.13 (2026) (“Duplicate copies of records and the detailed findings of autopsy and laboratory investigations shall be maintained”)
- Fla. Stat. § 406.145 (2026) (Law enforcement notification and unidentified bodies.)
Last checked: October 17, 2026
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